Empathy
by Solarclaw
Summary: Lightkit is given a gift from StarClan. Journey with this kit throughout her life as she goes through the normal trials of apprenticeship and warriorhood while learning more about this blessing, or perhaps curse, that will forever change her life.
1. Allegiances

_**Allegiances**_

* * *

**ThunderClan:**

_Leader:_ Creamstar

_Deputy:_ Patchclaw

_Medicine Cat:_ Cloudwind

_Elders:_ Lostfoot

_Queens:_ Tawnywing, Nightwhisker

_Warriors:_ Redfoot, Barkclaw, Whitefoot, Blackleaf, Frogspot, Birchleaf

_Apprentices:_ Orangepaw

_Kits:_ Lightkit, Dawnkit, Sunkit (Parents: Tawnywing, Redfoot) and Shadowkit, Pinekit, Ravenkit (Parents: Nightwhisker, Barkclaw)

* * *

**WindClan:**

_Leader:_ Goldstar

_Deputy:_ Whisperwing

_Medicine Cat:_ Blossompelt

_Elders:_ Scarredpelt

_Queens:_ Breezesong

_Warriors:_ Strongclaw, Longfang, Spottedheart, Rainfeather, Dustfur, Twigclaw

_Apprentices:_ Spiderpaw, Mothpaw, Rabbitpaw

_Kits:_ Streamkit, Moonkit, Grasskit (Parents: Breezesong, Spottedheart)

**

* * *

**

RiverClan: 

_Leader:_ Minnowstar

_Deputy:_ Owlflight

_Medicine Cat:_ Finchfeather

_Elders:_ Moonface

_Queens:_ Reedpelt

_Warriors:_ Whiskerbrush, Branchclaw, Leafeyes, Stonetooth, Quickstep

_Apprentices:_ Icepaw, Swiftpaw, Pondpaw, Fishpaw

_Kits:_ Foxkit, Mudkit (Parents: Reedpelt, Quickstep)

**

* * *

**

ShadowClan: 

_Leader:_ Pebblestar

_Deputy:_ Vineclaw

_Medicine Cat:_ Lilypetal

_Elders:_ Brightstripe, Toadfoot

_Queens:_ Snaketail

_Warriors:_ Lizardfoot, Eagletalon, Frostheart, Falconclaw, Badgerstripe, Leopardfang

_Apprentices:_ Ratpaw, Tallpaw, Starlingpaw

_Kits:_ Mosskit, Rootkit, Berrykit (Parents: Snaketail, Frostheart)


	2. Prologue

**A/N: I, of course, do not own Warriors. And in case anyone was wondering, this takes place in the new territory, many generations after Firestar.**

* * *

The moon was high overhead, the silver light emanating from it lighting up the whole Thunderclan camp. Normally, the camp would be silent and would seem almost completely empty, with the only noises coming from an owl flying overhead or the cat on guard duty scraping his paw against the dusty ground.

But this was not the case tonight. Two things were keeping the cats from drifting off into a peaceful slumber. First of all, tonight was the Gathering. The cats left behind were anxious to hear what the ShadowClan leader had to say about her warriors' constant intrusions on ThunderClan territory. One of these prey-stealing patrols had not been caught yet, but Creamstar was certain that these sneaky warriors would one day slip up and ThunderClan could give them a beating that they wouldn't forget.

The second reason everyone was awake was this: one of their queens was currently kitting. Normally, this wouldn't warrant the whole Clan staying up to wait for news. But this queen was Creamstar's grand-daughter Tawnywing. Tawnywing was a tiny, delicate-boned she-cat, and some newly-made apprentices exceeded her in both height and weight. On the other hand, the father of these kits, Redfoot, was probably one of the largest cats in the Clan. He was stocky and broad-shouldered, and he had almost had to stoop to lick Tawnywing's forehead if they both were standing up.

The medicine cat's, Cloudwind's, muttering about troubles for Tawnywing seemed to have come true. The kits were not due to be born for several more suns, yet Cloudwind had disappeared into the nursery at sunset and had not left it since. Even Tawnywing's wails of pain had stopped, and the rest of the Clan feared the worst for the kind and gentle she-cat, the last of Creamstar's living relatives.

There a flicker of movement in the nursery entrance. Cloudwind poked his head out and called, "Orangepaw, get over here!"

The orange tabby she-cat had been dozing off by the camp entrance, but at the moment that Cloudwind called her name, she jumped to her feet. Stifling a yawn, she stumbled over to the nursery and disappeared inside.

After a long moment, Orangepaw and Cloudwind filed out of the nursery. Orangepaw looked much more subdued with her tail drooping. Both cats carried in their mouth a limp, still kit, its fur still plastered to its body.

The rest of the cats there fell silent as the medicine cat and the apprentice exited the camp to bury the dead kits. When they returned with muddy paws and gloomy faces, they were bombarded with questions.

"Is Tawnywing alive?"

"How many kits did Tawnywing have?"

"Did all of her kits survive?"

"What do they look like?"

"Can we go see them?"

_"Silence!_" yowled Cloudwind, lashing his tail angrily. "Tawnywing needs to sleep. And so do all of you. Half of you mouse-brains look dead on your paws. Go, all of you. Go!"

Muttering among themselves, the cats slowly dispersed. They headed to their dens, though none of them slept. Instead, they all stayed awake, gossiping quietly amongst themselves and waiting for the arrival of the cats from the Gathering.

* * *

Even though the night was cool outside, the inside of the nursery was warm and had a milky scent. Laying in a mossy nest, slumbering peacefully, was a dappled golden she-cat. She was exhausted, and her tail didn't even twitch as she dreamed.

Curled by her belly were three newborn kits. One was a red she-kit with white paws, the second was a cream tom with red tabby stripes, and the final kit was a cream she-kit dappled with gold.

A stray beam of moonlight found its way into the nursery through the entrance and starry form begn to take shape in it. After a moment, a light brown tabby she-cat with a white chest and white paws stood there, outlined by starlight.

She looked down at the kits with tenderness in her eyes, though she scanned their tiny faces as if looking for something that was hidden from her. She stood there for a long time, until, with a swift, decisive movement, she touched her her mzzle against the cream she-kit's forehead.

"A gift to you from StarClan, little one," she whispered softly, her breath like mist in the night air. "Use it well. And remember me, when you grow older. Remember Leafpool."

The tiny kit stirred in her sleep and let out a tiny mew, as if in reply to the brown tabby. Leafpool smiled down at the kit before she began to fade away.

When just her amber eyes were just left, hanging in midair like twin moons, she murmured softly, "I hope you do not find this blessing a curse... As I would."

Then those warm, golden eyes were gone, and the only proof of the StarClan cat's visit was the scent of fire and ice in the nursery, overpowering the warm, milky scent that had been there before.


	3. Chapter 1

**A/N: Warriors, of course, does not belong to me.**

**And for those wondering who didn't see the Prologue's note, this story takes place in the _new_ territory.**

* * *

"I'm Creamstar!" declared Dawnkit loudly, her voice echoing across the camp. "Lightkit, you be Pebblestar and Sunkit, you be Goldstar."

Sunkit nodded, liking his assignment as Goldstar. But Lightkit shook her head.

"I don't want to play today, Dawnkit. Maybe tomorrow. Just have fun without me, okay?"

Dawnkit stared at Lightkit as if she thought her sister was mouse-brained. Then the stocky ginger she-cat shrugged.

"Whatever," she said, turning away. "Come on, Shadowkit, Ravenkit, and Pinekit! You three can be _something_..."

Three kits, who were all two moons their junior, scrambled out of the nursery in a mess of legs and tails. All three ended up on the ground right outside the nursery entrance.

"Ravenkit, you can be Pebblestar instead." growled Dawnkit. The black she-cat leaped to her paws, green eyes glittering with happiness.

Pinekit and Shadowkit untangled themselves and sat up, too. They glanced at eachother with narrowed green eyes. One of them wouldn't be able to play with only four leaders and five kits; which one would it be?

Shadowkit spoke first. "I'm Minnowstar," he growled, fluffing up his dark gray tabby fur and raising one tiny paw menacingly.

Pinekit looked like he would like to do nothing more than argue with his brother. He faced his brother with bristling brown fur and small, unsheathed claws. The air seemed to crackle with tension for the other kits; but the rest of the camp noticed nothing.

Suddenly, Pinekit sat back, letting his fur lie flat. He calmly licked one paw, and in between strokes of his tongue, he mewed, "Never mind. I don't want to play. I'll just watch with Lightkit."

Lightkit beamed at Pinekit and purred softly. _At least I won't be all alone now!_

The two kits sat side-by-side and watched as the other four kits acted out a recent battle between all four clans.

"ShadowClan! Attack!" squeaked Ravenkit, flinging herself at Dawnkit. The black she-kit batted at Dawnkit's belly and face with sheathed claws, or at least until the stocky ginger she-cat flipped Ravenkit over onto her back and began to paw at her belly.

Ravenkit squealed in alarm and cried, "Minnowstar! Call your warriors!"

Shadowkit nodded and yowled, "Riverclan, back up Shadowclan!"

Then the dark gray tom barreled into Dawnkit's side. The she-kit was knocked over into the dust. Ravenkit jumped to her paws and helped Shadowkit pin their 'enemy' down.

"WindClan to rescue!" yelled Sunkit, bounding towards Ravenkit. However, the cream tabby tripped over a stone on the ground and fell, crashing into Shadowkit instead. The two toms scuffled in the dirt, claws still sheathed, as Dawnkit leaped to her paws and pounced on Ravenkit. After a moment, Sunkit and Shadowkit broke apart and the black kit fled a few fox-lengths away.

However, Dawnkit and Ravenkit still fought, until Dawnkit bit into Ravenkit's tail. As the little black she-cat whimpered and squirmed, Lightkit flinched and couldn't help but glance back at her own tail.

_It feels as if Dawnkit's biting my tail!_ thought Lightkit, wincing and lashing her tail back and forth. _But she's not. W-what's happening...?_

The pressure on her tail disappeared as Dawnkit let Ravenkit go. The black cat scooted a few mouse-lengths away to examine her tail, parting the fur with her paws as she looked to see if Dawnkit's teeth had pierced her skin.

Meanwhile, Dawnkit opened her jaws in a silent mew of laughter, until the shadow of another cat fell over her. She snapped her mouth shut with an audible click and looked up at the cat standing. However, she immediately relaxed when she saw it was Orangefur, the newest warrior of ThunderClan. Creamstar had made Orangefur a warrior only days ago, but then Creamstar had gotten a cold. The kits were quite worried, though they were more worried about their apprentice ceremony being cancelled than their leader losing a life.

"A true warrior doesn't laugh at her enemies," meowed Orangefur sternly, though her dark green eyes glimmered with warmth and amusement. "If you can't show compassion, how can you become a warrior or even an apprentice?"

Dawnkit stared dejectedly at her paws. "I'm sorry..." she whispered softly, directing her apology at both Ravenkit and Orangefur.

"Don't worry about it," purred Ravenkit good-naturedly.

Orangefur lay down on the ground next to the six kits. Lightkit immediately stood up, walked over to the pale orange tabby, and then sat down. Orangefur was like an older sister to Lightkit; for she spent so much time playing with the kits when she wasn't busy with other duties.

"I heard a rumor..." began Orangefur, as the other five kits gathered around, eager to hear. "I heard that Creamstar was feeling better and would be doing some sort of ceremony today. I wonder what it could be."

"Really?" mewed Lightkit excitedly, her tail fluffing up in excitement. _We might be having our apprentice ceremony today!_ she thought to herself, almost unable to keep her glee inside.

"That's what I heard," said Orangefur, nodding.

Suddenly, the conversation was cut off by a soft meow.

"Dawnkit, Sunkit, and Lightkit, come over here. You three are filthy, and today's your big day!" purred Tawnywing emerging from the nursery. Her three kits scrambled towards her. She gave them all a quick grooming session, though Dawnkit's and Sunkit's lasted longer because they couldn't sit still.

Tawnywing finished just in time, for a loud yowl from the Highledge froze all of the cats in their tracks. Creamstar stood up there, looking unusually gaunt and scruffy from her cold but otherwise fine.

The cats began to gather, peering up at their leader. Orangefur bounded forward to go sit with the other warriors. Tawnywing guided the kits to stand off to the side until Creamstar called them. Then she went and took her usual place at Redfoot's side.

"We are gathered here to give Clan kits their apprentice names. Come forward, you three," she meowed, flicking her cream-colored tail.

Lightkit padded forward calmly, head held high, while Dawnkit bounced up to the front and Sunkit slunk forward hesitantly, nervous under the stares of their clanmates.

"Blackleaf, you are ready to take on an apprentice," she said, pausing a moment before continuing, "You will be mentor to Dawnkit, who shall now be known as Dawnpaw until she becomes a full warrior."

The ginger she-cat squeaked in happiness and surprise as a lithe black tom separated himself from the rest of the group. He padded forward until he was standing in front of Creamstar and Dawnkit. Lightkit watched jealously; why was Dawnkit always first? However, she felt bad the next moment for thinking those thoughts; Dawnkit should be congratulated for getting such a smart and strong mentor.

"Blackleaf, you have shown yourself to be an intelligent and resourceful warrior. Do all that you can to pass on all you know down to Dawnpaw."

Blackleaf nodded. "Of course," he said gravely, reached forward to touch noses with his new apprentice.

Creamstar trained her gaze on Sunkit, who still looked a little nervous, before looking over at some cat in the crowd. Lightkit tried to follow Creamstar's gaze; who would her brother's mentor be?

"Patchclaw," meowed Creamstar. Sunkit's mouth dropped open in shock and Lightkit couldn't help but gape, too. Sunkit was getting the _deputy_?

Creamstar continued as the black and white tom walked towards Sunkit. "You are ready to take on an apprentice. You will be mentor to Sunkit, who shall now be known as Sunpaw until he becomes a full warrior. Patchclaw, you have shown yourself to be an fierce and noble warrior, and courageous deputy. Do all that you can to pass on all you know down to Sunpaw."

"I will do all that and more," promised Patchclaw, his eyes alight with laughter as he noticed Sunpaw staring up at him in awe. At last, Sunpaw touched noses Patchclaw and Sunpaw moved to the side to stand with Blackleaf and Dawnpaw.

It seemed to be an eternity before Creamstar continued. "Whitefoot, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You will be mentor to Lightkit, who shall now be known as Lightpaw until she becomes a full warrior."

Lightkit almost yowled in happiness as the pale gray she-cat wound through the crowd and eventually stood in front of Lightkit. Whitefoot had always been kind to everyone, even the ShadowClan prisoner that they had taken three moons ago. In fact, the Whitefoot had convinced Creamstar to let their prisoner go back home rather than kill their prisoner.

"Whitefoot, you have shown yourself to be a compassionate and loyal warrior. Do all that you can to pass on all you know down to Lightpaw."

"Definitely!" purred Whitefoot, touching Lightpaw.

"Dawnpaw! Sunpaw! Lightpaw!" chanted the clan, as was custom. Lightpaw could pick out Redfoot and Tawnywing in the crowd; they looked so proud of their children. Orangefur, too, was one of the more excited cats. She mouthed something about a patrol to Lightpaw and winked.

"You apprentices should get some rest," finished Creamstar. "Your mentors will work you hard tomorrow!"

The three nodded, tails twitching excitedly. "Of course," meowed Dawnpaw.

However, once Creamstar was out of earshot, Dawnpaw turned to Blackleaf and asked, "Are you _sure_ that we can't do anything tonight? Not even one little patrol? We can't even go see the lake?"

Blackleaf frowned and shook his head. "Of course not. Go to sleep."

Not looking disappointed in the least, Dawnpaw left her two siblings behind as she raced to the apprentices' den. After saying good-bye to their mentors, Lightpaw and Sunpaw trotted over to the cave where the apprentices slept. They ducked inside and began searching for where they wished to sleep.

Lightkit knew immediately where she wanted to sleep. She chose a shadowy corner and bunched up the moss there to create a comfortable bed. However, she mostly chose this corner because the rising sun would shine through the entrance at an angle, shining on her 'nest' and waking her up at dawn.

Ignoring Dawnpaw and Sunpaw, who were bickering over a single spot, even when they had the whole den to choose from, Lightpaw curled up, flicked her tail over her nose, and fell asleep.


End file.
